The Potential of Humane Teaching Methods within Veterinary and Other Biomedical Education

In many educational institutions, animals historically have been and commonly remain the subjects of markedly invasive procedures, which sometimes result in death. these are conducted in order to demonstrate scientific concepts or teach practical skills to students of surgery, anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, and parasitology. Hundreds of humane teaching methods have been developed during the last two decades, and yet many faculty members remain insufficiently aware of their educational potential or of the published literature examining their educational efficacy. Accordingly, this paper reviews the main categories of humane teaching methods in use and illustrates their potential using selected examples. It also reviews relevant educational evaluations and studies.